Steel and Roses
by Naris Kelreath
Summary: Spun out of thin air. Antonio masks his feelings for Caterina. First part of a hopefully multichapter fic. Now involves AU Schneizel from Code Geass :D
1. And She Smiled

Author's Notes:

This is the first part of the Trinity Blood fanfic I'm writing. Due to some miracle I managed to reach 4K words on this fic, although I decided to post only the first chapter just to see it end differently from the one I have written. I don't own the characters n,n

Please R&R so I'd know if you liked it (^^,)

* * *

**Chapter 1: And She Smiled**

He was inwardly shocked to see her smile. For one fleeting moment, she really smiled. Then it was gone, and she was all business again.

"Well then, Cardinal de Borgia. If all goes well, I will see you in Milan," Caterina said, and was gone. The furniture that was her bodyguard followed, and Antonio, though he'll never admit it, envied him.

_Come back_, he thought. _Smile for me again_.

He saw his face in the mirror, and saw the wistful expression painted there. He quickly changed his demeanor, so much like putting on a mask. No one should suspect his feelings toward the strong-willed Duchess, more so when he wasn't even sure of it himself. There were times when all he could think about was her, followed by a sinking feeling he couldn't explain well. Perhaps it was her eyes. Beautiful, captivating. And intimidating. Those eyes always makes his heart skip a beat, a feeling he expertly masks with his usual flamboyance and flirtation which he knew perfectly well gets under the woman's nerves.

Antonio smiled, a gleam lighting his coffee-brown eyes. A light bulb turned on in his mind, and suddenly he couldn't wait for the ball in Milan.


	2. Steel's Form

**CHAPTER II: STEEL'S FORM**

A rustle of clothing, gracefully emphasized, a few light footsteps, and the door shut close. Caterina sighed with relief, removed her monocle, and leaned back into her plush armchair. Sometimes she suspected the man of being a sort of mental vampire, draining the lifeforce of people he came in contact to. Oh, wait. That would be her older half-brother. At least with Antonio one could be somewhat entertained. Before he starts talking about himself, that is, which would be about five minutes into the conversation.

She winced and mentally berated herself. She's _that_ tired, if she's being mean like this. Antonio's just being, well, _Antonio_...

"So, what exactly do you think he's planning now?" a voice nudged her back to reality. She looked at the figure near the window and raised her eyebrow.

"Oh. Abel. I forgot you were there."

"That's horrible!"

She ignored his whining. "I don't _know_ what he's planning because I don't _care_ what he's planning. I have more important things to do than indulge a little prince's whims. I have no plans to be involved."

"That's way too many 'no's', you know..." Abel smiled. Before she can react, he disappeared out the window.

She smiled despite being annoyed at not having the last word. Moments like such with her friends-_too few_, a small voice inside her piped in-were precious, no matter how silly and simple they are.

_'I was born in bad times_,' she mused as she walked to the draped windows. The wind came in gently, carrying the fresh scent of spring. The lilies-of-the-valley were in full bloom in the garden below, a sea of pure white in stark contrast to the blood-red roses separated from it by tall hedges. It was her father's personal garden, she was told. Pope Gregorio XXX, they said, did not believe in the complete unity of mankind. '_No two people are ever the same. There will always be an aspect or two that differs. And in time, those differences will wipe out the human race. A separation between each kind is a must, for our continued existence_," he had been quoted saying. Humans. Methuselah. The old race prey to the new. For the nth time Caterina wondered when all these would end. There were times when she just wanted to tell everyone to go to hell and let her be. She sighed, shaking her head. She longed for the nights she spent back home in Milan when she was young, when she was free to do whatever she wanted without having to think of the consequences.

She thought of Antonio de Borgia. The man is dangerously smart, and the Vatican is lucky to have him on their side. Still, he sometimes grated her nerves. Caterina has no time for courtship, especially for empty words and praises. Besides, the man courts every living female within 200 meters of him, as Abel had warned her the first time he saw Antonio give Caterina a red rose. She hugged herself, feeling a chill. She felt a sudden envy towards the Prince of Hispania, with his carefree ways and manners. Something she very well could not afford to have.

"Lady Caterina…" Her earpiece buzzed. _Sister Kate_. Caterina sighed once more. '_So little time, even for my own thoughts…'_

"Yes, Sister?"

* * *

Uh-oh. Seems like the Woman of Steel would be hard to please :D

HONTOU NI GOMEN NASAI. My laptop broke down, and has just recently been resurrected. I have actually written the next few chapters, but I lost them and I don't want to change a lot of what I have written before T_T I have also been caught in the struggles of everyday life, and have only recently regained stabilization of my fanfiction thought processes. Rest assured, I'll be working my ass off now :D


	3. Yellow Rose

**CHAPTER III: YELLOW ROSES**

"It is with great pleasure for me to introduce our special guests for this evening, Her Eminence, the ever beautiful Cardinal Sforza, and His Royal Highness, Prince Schneizel of Austria!"

The pair walked gracefully down the stairs, arm-in-arm, and their smiles radiant. Upon reaching the main landing, they were immediately swarmed by the other guests, some wanting to speak to both, and some content just to be near their presence. Camera flashes of Vatican-approved photographers were everywhere.

A few feet away, Antonio adeptly hid his envy and annoyance behind a lazy smile. His original plan was to be Caterina's escort, and then confess his love to her—privately this time—to show her that he is serious. Sadly all of it was not meant to be.

* * *

A month ago, a day after sending out the invitations to his surprise Grand Ball, letters flooded Caterina's office and private residence, all of it from highborn aristocrats who want to be her escort for that night. _Antonio's_ night. He managed to intercept most of them before they reach Rome, but his efforts were futile.

'_That stupid Prince had some nerve'_, he thought angrily.

Antonio succeeded in blocking Prince Schneizel's letter to Caterina, but the Aryan prince would not be thwarted in his goal to see her (thereby unknowingly and subsequently pissing off Antonio de Borgia).

After two days of not receiving a reply from the Duchess of Milan, Prince Schneizel made headlines by showing up at the gates of Rome unannounced with 30 of his armed guards, and bearing the royal insignia of the House of Habsburg. He then politely but firmly asked for an audience with the Cardinals in Rome.

Not wanting to provoke the Kingdom of Germanicus just yet (despite being royally pissed that the Prince and his retinue slipped past his minions undetected), Francesco di Medici convened the cardinals, including Antonio and Caterina, to welcome Prince Schneizel in an ostentatious display of generosity and benevolence.

The Prince, Antonio could not argue, is superficially perfect. He is very handsome, with pale blond hair and eyes like deep pools of liquid mercury. His posture is perfect, his clothes impeccable. His stature as the first cousin of King Wilhelm IV of Germanicus only magnified his good looks and charisma. When he spoke to the College of Cardinals, no one could possibly doubt his sincerity, except, of course, Francesco (whose paranoia is deeply ingrained in his DNA) and Antonio, who read his quite amorous love letter.

"Your Eminences, I present myself to you as a humble servant of God," he had bowed low then, and Antonio saw that the cardinals liked it. "I came here in behalf of my cousin, His Royal Majesty Kaiser Wilhelm IV of Germanicus, to show the Vatican our willingness to resolve the Vampire-Human question in our territories."

Murmurs rose among the cardinals. Even Antonio had been surprised. The Kingdom of Germanicus has long been suspected of harboring Vampires among its nobility. The exposure of the Four-City-Alliance by Cardinal Sforza's agents was just the tip of the iceberg, which Emperor Wilhelm IV vehemently denied having any knowledge of. For the Kingdom to send an important member of the royal family as envoy is a major leap indeed.

"We appreciate your great efforts in extending your hands to us, Prince Schneizel. Before anything else, however, I ask of you, what can we offer you in return?" Francesco asked quite pointedly.

Prince Schneizel only smiled before turning his eyes to the beauty in front, who had been silently watching him the whole time.

"It has been a long journey, Cardinal di Medici. Right now all I sincerely wish is to have a good day's rest, and….to be able to accompany Her Eminence Cardinal Sforza to this Grand Ball in Milan."

A few gasps from the older cardinals. Antonio gritted his teeth for a second before transforming it into a bright smile. Breaths were held as all eyes turned to the golden beauty, waiting for her response.

Caterina didn't look at any of the cardinals. She was looking only at the Prince when she smiled and answered. "It would be my pleasure to go to the Grand Ball with you, Your Highness."

Sighs of relief all around. Antonio couldn't blame them, they were all afraid that Caterina might turn down the Prince. She was no fool, but when one has the habit of returning unopened love letters back to their senders, you never know..

* * *

And that is why, this night, which was supposed to be Antonio's big night, is quickly turning sour. Caterina is a goddess in her sleek, form-fitting white evening dress with a slit running up one side of her leg. Her hair is pulled back up by a glittering hairpiece studded with small diamonds, leaving her elegant, creamy white neck exposed. Antonio's breath hitched every time he looks at her.

What was ruining the night was beside her. Immaculately dressed in a black tuxedo was Prince Schneizel, with a crystal rose on his breast pocket. Antonio was no way less dressed up, but the fact that Schneizel was the one holding Caterina the whole night is making him feel morose.

Plus the fact that for some reason, after he was tired of flirting with other ladies, his company for the night is Fr. Abel Nightroad, Caterina's poor-as-a-churchmouse agent. How Antonio ended up sharing the same table with him is a mystery.

Worst of all, the man is acting like someone who has only recently ended a hunger strike. Since Antonio sat down, the table has never been empty of food, and Fr. Nightroad is devouring everything by himself.

"Hey. Don't you ever get fat?" Antonio asked.

"Mmmph—hmmph-uhn—" Abel answered before Antonio cut him off with a wave of his hand. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Caterina and Schneizel discreetly exit the hall. Antonio looked around; everyone else was either too busy or too drunk to notice.

"I'll be back," he told Fr. Nightroad who just looked at him curiously, then shrugged and continued eating.

He got out of the hall thru another exit so as to not attract attention. He was getting a little agitated. '_Why on earth would they sneak out like that?'_

* * *

Oooops.. Got to go :D Stay tuned :D


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